


More Than Blood

by wizardsnake



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Humor, Emotional!Obi-Wan, Ewan Mcgregor has 4 daughters, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nightmares, airport angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 13:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5786938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wizardsnake/pseuds/wizardsnake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war had been hard on Obi-Wan, even before the trauma of Mustafar.  It was easy to admit that now.  Most of the pride that once blinded him had long ago been stripped away by the horrors of war.  Months and years of constant battle had changed him, changed his perspective of what was important, and what was worth fighting for.  Unfortunately, these revelations had not come until it was much too late, and his mistakes had cost him dearly. Obi-Wan tried not to focus on those mistakes, but on the bond he had developed with Rex that had helped him leave those errors in judgment in the past where they belonged.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan was left with a great deal of grief and anxiety after the Clone Wars, but he found it was easier to deal with when Rex and their four adopted daughters were by his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More Than Blood

**Author's Note:**

> This ridiculous journey began a few months ago when I stumbled across this picture: http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Ewan+McGregor+Ewan+McGregor+LAX+r634OLKWENal.jpg and it's accompanying friends. My brain was like, "oh, this could be fun" and I proceeded to write a 2 page snippet, which turned into world building, and character development...and ended with this. I hope you guys like this, because it's been stuck in my brain for a while now.
> 
> Also, this wouldn't have been possible without the wonderful luverofralts and her amazing prose and encouragement.

_The War is over love._

It was a gentle nudge in his mind. A reminder to calm down and keep on walking. Right...walking. He could do that; he had been a Jedi master once for gods' sake. The spaceport was a crowded place though, and his nerves were on edge, senses on high alert.

People kept staring as they walked along the crowded hallways. Obi-Wan tensed, his emotions a flurry of rapt attention and worry. Why must they stare? He couldn't stand being the center of attention. He had never liked being one half of the Jedi Order's most visible wartime propaganda pieces, and he certainly couldn't stand the unwanted attention now that the war was over.

A young girl pointed to her friend, exclaiming loudly, “It's Obi-Wan Kenobi! Look! He looks even better in person!”

Suddenly Obi-Wan felt the presence of hundreds of eyes staring in his direction. Before he could even properly react, a calloused hand rested on top of his. Obi-Wan hadn't even realized that he was gripping the stroller so tightly that his knuckles were white. Fuck.

_Obi-Wan, it's okay. Don't let it bother you, we're almost there anyway. And besides, you are the hero of the galaxy..._

He looked up then, into the weathered face of the man he loved so much, and managed a tight smile. “Rex..” he groaned, but knew the other man would understand the sentiment. Obi-Wan didn't want to think about that right now. Not today. But he was reassured to have Rex's voice pressed close against his mind.

The emotional control that had once come so easy to him as a young Jedi, eluded Obi-Wan now. The long years of intergalactic conflict had seen to that. It was difficult to contain the fear that frequently welled up inside him. Many times unchecked emotion threatened to overwhelm his calm facade, even after the deepest meditation, and all too often in the public eye. The events of the Clone Wars had left deep scars on his mind that even his extensive Jedi training seemed ill equipped to heal.

Gods, the “Clone Wars”, there were so many reasons to hate that title. It was easy at home, he didn't have to pretend for Rex and the girls. They knew his struggles, but they also knew he was a strong willed, stubborn man who had faced down more danger than anyone rightfully should have to in one lifetime.

Rex didn't even blink. Rather, he picked up the paler hand resting under his on the stroller and laced their fingers together, brushing his side against Obi-Wan in a bid of reassurance. When he looked up again, Obi-Wan saw a sly grin upon the man's face.

_The bastard_. Rex was teasing him, and it made him smile for real this time.

“Come along girls!” Rex called over his shoulder, cracking a smile of his own at his success.

*                     *                     *                     *                     *

They were a rag tag family, six lost souls orphaned and hurting after a devastating war. They had come together as if shoved by the Force, bringing healing and love back to Obi-Wan's war-torn mind. First had come Rex, then See'ra, Esrai and Riva, whom they had found huddled together and half starved while delivering supplies to a war torn Christophsis.

When the Force first whispered to Obi-Wan of the girls' potential, he had been shocked, not comprehending until that very moment what the elimination of the Jedi would mean for future Force sensitives. He had a vision then of the girls several years older, meditating in a bright open garden, serene and happy. _Alderran_ he realized with a start. _Home_. Suddenly, for Obi-Wan, these children represented a shining beacon of hope in a shattered galaxy.

Bringing the girls to safety had been one thing, but the shimmer in Rex's eyes upon their return to the ship had been all the confirmation Obi-Wan needed. Their lives were about to change in a significant way. If that hadn't been enough, the knowing smile on Bail Organa's face when Obi-Wan first introduced the girls had told him there would be no turning back to the way things had been before.

It certainly hadn't been easy raising a rebellious teenager, a high spirited eight year old and a six year old, let alone trying to maintain some semblance of romance while acting against the very Code he had held himself to previously, but somehow he and Rex had managed to make it work, and Obi-Wan was proud of the strong young women that his girls were becoming.

Rex and Obi made a good team, but then again, they always had. All the practice they had on the battlefield was a good foundation in teamwork, but neither had ever expected parenting to be among their list of accomplishments. Let alone together. Somehow, three years had flown by and they had become a very close knit family unit.

Their youngest, Karis, was only two years old. She had joined their family six months ago after her parents died in a tragic hover car accident. Bail and Breha had simply shown up at the door of their tiny flat with a beautiful baby Togruta wrapped up in Bail's arms. He wouldn't say anything more. Rex and the girls were smitten right from the very first moment, but Obi-Wan had been hesitant. The resemblance to Ahsoka was striking, and he had to shove down the overpowering grief and remorse that threatened to overtake him. When Karis reached over and tugged on his beard with her chubby little orange fingers, giggling, Obi-Wan knew he couldn't deny that their family had just grown a little bit larger. With tears in his eyes, he had scooped her up into his arms and rubbed his beard all over her face, making the little girl giggle even more delightedly.

He saw Anakin in his girls sometimes. When Riva whined about going on a relief mission instead of being able to stay home and help with Leia, or when See'ra got that look of grim determination that reminded Obi-Wan so much of Anakin trying to prove himself as more than just a former slave with a late start. He smiled to himself in times like these. It was comforting to think of Anakin as he had once been, before Palpatine had ensnared him away from the man Obi-Wan knew he could be.

 

* * * * *

The next few hours of queued lines and bustling crowds were a test of Obi-Wan's patience, but this was shaping up to be one occasion that his stoic Jedi mask remained firmly in place. He knew he couldn't have managed this journey without his family. The anxiety of the crowd of admirers had begun to fade with Rex's constant presence at his side, and Esrai's idle teenage chatter about which boys were more attractive running beside him. Without them, he would have been tempted to curl up in the nearest corner. It was all too easy on days like this to allow the memories of damaged spaceports and burning transports overtake him. He could run like the coward he so often felt like. Run to return to the safety of their old home where there were no strangers to stare at him and gawk at his unwanted celebrity status as apparent savior of the Republic.

But that was not what today was about. Today was a new start for his family, and a new home. Obi-Wan just needed to make it through the crowded spaceport in one piece. He took a deep calming breath, surrounding himself in the Force, and gripped Rex's reassuring hand tightly. He knew he could do this.

Obi-Wan finally found solace when they rounded the corner of the final gates undisturbed. Thankfully their designated waiting platform was nearly empty, save for two bored human boys and their obviously tired mother. He found a seat by the window and sat down, unbuckling Karis from her stroller. The rest of the children scattered around him in different directions, Riva looking for reading materials, and See'ra eyeing the vending machine nearby that promised both caf and candy for weary passengers.

Feeling the burden of his ever present worry threatening to creep into his small moment of peace, Obi-Wan took one last look around to confirm that Rex was managing the girls, and allowed his weary eyes to close.

The war had been hard on him, even before the trauma of Mustafar. It was easy to admit that now. Most of the pride that once blinded him had long ago been stripped away by the horrors of war. Months and years of constant battle had changed him, changed his perspective of what was important, and what was worth fighting for. Unfortunately, these revelations had not come until it was much too late, and his mistakes had cost him dearly. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Obi-Wan tried not to focus on those mistakes, but on the bond he had developed with Rex that had helped him leave those errors in judgment in the past where they belonged.

They had become close during the long night cycles aboard The Resolute when neither one could sleep, sharing terrible caf and talking the hours away. It felt wonderful to pretend things were normal for a few hours. Although their time together was often much too rare, a close friendship developed between the two men. A deep bond that drew them together in ways that were difficult to understand.

Developing feelings for the man had been inconvenient. No, confusing. Feelings were attachment, and that was not the Jedi way. Force knew he had drilled that lesson into Anakin often enough. But Code be damned, Obi-Wan was not going to give up Rex's bright, beautiful smile. Or the way his eyes gleamed after Obi-Wan made some stupid, sarcastic remark that no one else seemed to appreciate. It had given him hope to think that maybe, just maybe, he could think about what life would be like after the damn war ended. Some days the thought of Rex's smug grin was the only thing that kept him going.

Nothing sexual ever came of their obvious connection – they were too professional for that – except for one chaste kiss that Rex managed to sneak in upon their last meeting. It had left Obi-Wan's lips moist and smiling; affection and love for this clever man bubbling through the Force. More importantly, it had felt right.

It was only later, when he was standing in the ashes of a volcanic planet that Obi-Wan realized it would be the last time he ever saw his Captain's bright smile. Of ever feeling connected to another living being again. Mustafar had felt like the end.

Obi-Wan was startled out of his thoughts when Rex returned from the vending area. He had a caf in hand and stern look plastered on his face. Sitting down, he poked his mate in the ribs, giving him a pointed stare. They had discussed Mustafar and Order 66 in great depth before, and each time they swore to try to leave it in the past. Rex knew it was more difficult for his husband though. So much had changed on that fateful day, and Obi-Wan still struggled with the ghosts that haunted him- well, one ghost more than any other. But, he reminded himself, today would be a happy day; a day that marked a fresh start for their family, and a new venture of hope for Obi-Wan, and the fate of the Jedi. Even Rex, with his minuscule understanding of the force, could feel that they had made the right decision.

Leaning over, Rex presented Obi-Wan with his beloved tea. It was a vanilla blend meant to help calm his strained nerves. Rex arched his body as close to his love as the uncomfortable waiting chairs would allow. Relief flooded Obi-Wan at this attempted intimacy as his gaze once again settled on the children that provided him with such comfort and joy.

Nearby, the shrieks of the two bored children sharing the waiting space grew louder. 

“That's my toy!” the freckled one shouted, his little face screwing up in anger. His brother held the stolen ship in his hands with a triumphant smirk that Obi-Wan would be petrified to see on one of his girls. Their mother seemed to agree with Obi-Wan's displeasure.

“Share you two! The ship is almost here.”

The children glowered at each other. The shipless child continued to scrunch his face into an unappealing mask of anger.

“I hate you!” he shouted, kicking over a nearby garbage can and inflicting a weary groan from his mother. “I hate you!”

The pain seared across Obi-Wan's heart before he could even remember why. Those words! Rex had forbidden them from their home long ago. No matter the hurt suffered, those words could never be taken back.

The floor seemed to drop away from the Jedi as the smell of burning flesh lingered once more in his nostrils.

_“I hate you!”_

The burning stump of a man as close to Obi-Wan as a brother shouted as he struggled to pull himself along the smoldering rock. Motivated by pure anger, this hollow image of the Chosen One had killed Obi-Wan just as surely as the clone troopers had killed his Jedi brothers and sisters. Were he to survive Mustafar in body, he had been certain that his spirit had died that day along with the Jedi order.

Absently, Obi-Wan felt pressure on his hand as Rex tried to comfort him. His mind registered the cries of Riva boldly taking the ship from both brothers and scolding them for using improper language in front of her siblings, but Obi-Wan could not summon the strength the rebuke his daughter's misguided attempt at diplomacy.

_More like aggressive negotiations._

He missed having the cocky voice of his former padawan in his head. This time, when he saw Anakin in the face of his daughter, he wanted nothing more than to grab at the ghost of his memory and never let go. He would never forget the sacrifice that Anakin, not Darth Vader, had made that fateful day in the ashes of Mustafar.

It was the day the Clone Wars had ended. They day he had killed the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and saved the Republic. Only he hadn't killed the Sith Lord, and he hadn't been the one to save the Republic. He had just been the only one to return alive.

Yoda had sent him to Mustafar to kill Anakin. No, kill Darth Vader, the Sith apprentice. The fallen Jedi, his brother in all but blood had marched on the temple and slaughtered everyone, marred by anger and the twisted perspective of the Sith. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, general of the Grand Army of the Republic was meant to cut this menace down – but he wasn't able to. Anakin was his _brother_ – his best friend! Yoda should have sent him to kill the Emperor, for killing the boy he had raised to adulthood was not something that Obi-Wan could even imagine having the strength to do.

And he hadn't been able to leave him to die either.

Rex let go of Obi-Wan only to grab Riva and mumble an apology to the unruly boys' mother that in no way sounded sincere.

“That is not the way we negotiate peace, young one,” he scolded, mimicking one of the many lectures he remembered Anakin giving to Ahsoka, while trying to hide the smile on his face.

_But you weren't wrong_ , Rex thought, though he realized he had also projected this to his spouse.

Obi-Wan nodded his silent agreement to his partner, but tried to look disapproving for his young daughter's benefit. The boys and their mother scuttled off, clearly embarrassed, to the other side of the room. Riva stuck out her tongue as they passed, taking her own lesson from the encounter.

“Well, I'm not the Jedi I should be.”

The words echoed again and again in Obi-Wan's head until he was unsure if Riva, Anakin, or he had spoken them. It had been him once, of that he was certain. Those words had drained much of the anger from the yellow eyes of the burning Sith apprentice before him, replacing it with something more familiar. Confusion? Bemusement? Either way, it felt liberating to finally speak the truth out loud. All this time he had been blind to the pain Anakin had been suffering, blind to the plot against the Jedi, and hurting in ways the entire time that he was only now beginning to understand. He truly was not the Jedi the universe thought him to be, and judging by the mess he found himself in, he was no where near the Jedi he should have been.

Obi-Wan could no more leave his brother than Riva could keep from defending her family from hurtful words. He had broken his promise to Yoda, to the remnants of the Jedi. Instead of leaving Anakin to burn on that horrible rock, he had returned to try to piece together the only family he had ever known.

Obi-Wan was still hastily constructing a desperate plan to help Anakin, to guide him back to the light, when Sidious' ship arrived. The tired Jedi Master somehow managed to fight a second, brief battle with a Sith Lord that day, but after a short time it became clear that he wouldn't be the one to walk away from their confrontation.

Sidious had has blade raised above his head, ready to strike a deadly blow. Ever the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan felt prepared for death and closed his eyes. He wasn't afraid. Deeply saddened perhaps, at his failure to both the Republic and the Jedi, even to Yoda, who must have surely overestimated his skill. Mostly though, he regretted how deeply he had failed Anakin.

To his utter shock, the deadly blow never came. Instead what he saw before him when he finally opened his eyes, was a pale blue blade buried straight through Sidious' heart. Putrid yellow eyes blown wide from shock, the Sith slumped to the ground, and there beside his dying body, was Anakin, his remaining metal arm reaching out to control his abandoned blade. He was writhing on the ground, the same as Obi-Wan had left him, but still breathing, and smiling a twisted grimace.

“You're a slow learner, Obi-Wan,” he had said. “but I couldn't just watch him kill you.”

Obi-Wan almost laughed; he couldn't help himself. It must have been the grief and overwhelming sense of weariness that had begun to set in. Instead, the Jedi dropped to the ground, tears streaming down his face and cradled Anakin in his lap. Obi-Wan couldn't think, couldn't breathe, only able to babble meaningless apologies, begging Anakin's forgiveness as he felt his brother slipping away.

Anakin had died in his arms that day, surrounded by fire and lava and the putrid scent of burning flesh. But in those last moments, Anakin had overwhelmingly proven that he was a Jedi, no longer corrupted by the twisted desires of the former chancellor.

This was not the way the Republic saw things though. Noble and brave, uncomplicated Jedi Master Kenobi was their hero. The man who felled two evil Sith and saved the galaxy from Separatist scum, had ended the war. Obi-Wan however, wanted nothing more to do with the Republic or their propaganda. He had lost everything he had ever known, the Jedi Order was gone, Padme. . . _Anakin_. . .Everyone Obi-Wan had ever felt close to. Nothing had seemed to matter anymore.

Sitting in the now bustling waiting room, Obi-Wan thought about that blinding despair he had felt after Mustafar. He wanted something different, something better for his children. He didn't want them to grow up feeling stifled, powerless to make their own decisions for fear that their emotions would lead to the dark side. It left a bad taste in his mouth to think about how far the Jedi had fallen on their path, deceived by that dark for so long that they hadn't even recognized a Sith Lord standing among them. He was still torn up inside by the enormous responsibility that had been placed on his shoulders.

For this reason, Obi-Wan no longer called himself a Jedi Master. He was certainly qualified, but the Jedi, as a symbolic representation of peace and hope in the galaxy, had failed in their duties to the Republic and had failed Obi-Wan at the time of his greatest need. It was of utter importance that the rot of the dark side not be allowed to infiltrate this new breed of Jedi. Obi-Wan had already undergone great lengths to ensure that his girls, and any other future Jedi would be properly educated in all aspects of the Force.

As if sensing his tension, Obi-Wan's youngest daughter climbed into his lap hugging him tight, her striped lekku brushing against his chin.

“I love you daddy,” she whispered.

Fuck. Obi-Wan was startled out of his reverie. _Fuuuuck!_

He sighed, rubbing a hand across his face, and then visibly relaxed, hugging his daughter closer to him. Focus on your surroundings, he scolded himself, you have more self control than this.

Shaking off his disturbing train of thought, Obi-Wan looked up, seeking out Rex's eyes and was immediately greeted with that familiar bright, beautiful smile, the one that was meant only for him. He would always have his bad moments, and the jarring nightmares that would forever leave him fractured, but what he had here in his family made life worth living.

“I love you too, Karis,” he said around a mass of head tales, and then leaned his head against Rex's shoulder.

“There,” he pointed to the left, looking at a tall muscular man with long blond hair, and poking Esrai on his other side, “That boy's really cute, don't you think?”

“Ewww, Obi,” See'ra shrieked, turning around, “that one is your age!” She cast a worried look at her father. “And besides, Rex is way cuter.”

“Course I am,” Rex turned his head, kissing Obi-Wan while pulling on Karis' tentacles to make her giggle. See'ra, Esrai and Riva just rolled their eyes.

“Get a room,” Riva mumbled under her breath, even though she was now smiling, earlier scolding forgotten.

Looking around, Obi-Wan's eyes sought all four of his daughters. They were still so young, with so much to learn. He prayed that he had learned enough from his mistakes to accomplish the great task before him. On his shoulders was the responsibility of breathing new life and new meaning to the word Jedi, especially in a galaxy that was still fractured and recovering. Closing his eyes once again, Obi-Wan realized that Rex had taken on the responsibility with him. The clone had tasked himself with caring for and bringing life back to a broken down Jedi Order, no matter how complicated Order 66 had made surviving Jedi/clone relations. It was the love and care that Rex had shown to him that cemented Obi-Wan's doubts in the Jedi Code that had been taught to him and generations of Jedi. Together, he thought, remembering their many conversations on the subject.

_“Where there is peace, there is also passion,_ ” Obi-Wan murmured.

_“Through the Force our path shall be chosen,”_ five voices responded.

 

It was still unclear to Obi-Wan how he had gotten off of Mustafar. The first thing he could consciously remember after his battle with Sidious was landing on Alderaan and waiting for Bail and Breha to take him to their home. He had spent the next few months barely living. The days were long and endless, and Obi-Wan walked around as if in a daze. Nights, however, were far worse. He drank to avoid thinking, and to ward off the many nightmares of fire. He wasn't even sure if wanted to continue to live, not after having lost everything. The deafening silence in his mind was too much to bare.

When Bail sent him to the palace spacedock to wait for a visitor, Obi-Wan had nearly refused. He understood that Bail was only trying to help him, but it had become exceedingly difficult to muster the will to do anything. In an attempt to repay his friend for all of his kindness, Obi-Wan had managed to muster up just enough of his former social skills to go meet the mysterious visitor.

When the passenger disembarked from the shuttle, the familiar face had left him frozen with his mouth hanging open. Time halted to stop around the former Jedi, and the air evaporated from his lungs in an instant. The figure's shaved head and angular jaw was just the same as Obi-Wan remembered, his broad shoulders covered in a tight black shirt spattered with blue designs. It was almost wrong in a way, to see him without the armour of the 501st. There was something else amiss too, a hardness to his posture that hadn't quite been there before – not even after Umbara – and Obi-Wan could feel the waves of his anger and pain, as real as if it had been his own.

Obi-Wan felt an overwhelming surge of emotion, of desire, that he hadn't felt since long before his arrival on Alderaan. Rex was. . . alive. Rex was ALIVE! His face was recognizable anywhere, shared by a million men, but his individuality, his defiance, would always be a bright beacon of hope for Obi-Wan. Rex was never just a soldier – never just a clone. He was a friend. No, Rex had become the man Obi-Wan loved, and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to wash the frown from that beautiful face.

This realization didn't help Obi-Wan to resume breathing. He was still frozen in place, unable to do anything but gawk at the man standing before him. Rex looked just as shocked as he started walking ever so slowly forward down the ramp. He stopped in front of Obi-Wan, almost, agonizingly, close enough to touch, but not quite.

It was probably only a minute that they stood there, just starting at each other, but it had felt like hours, days even, until Obi-Wan finally snapped out of his daze and took that tiny step forward to close the distance between them, enveloping Rex in a tight embrace, wanting to never let go. They stood there, just holding each other close, letting months and years of pain and grief fall away with the simple contact between them.

Just having Rex present on Alderaan had felt like an awakening for Obi-Wan. If felt like he could breathe again, like he had been drowning before, and his head had finally emerged from the cold, murky water that had nearly killed him. Their friendship was easy, familiar, and heartening. It allowed Obi-Wan to begin living again. They spent countless hours together, sometimes helping with Alderaan's relief aid program, mostly just talking. It had felt the same as it did all those times aboard the ship, like they could forget everything around them, and just be. Rex, thankfully, hadn't pushed him to talk about Mustafar, or anything else Obi-Wan wasn't ready to face. He had been patient, and Obi-Wan was grateful for that.

Admitting he still had feelings for the man had been another matter entirely. On one hand, Obi-Wan could think of nothing more than the feel of Rex's lips against his all that time ago, wanting more, but on the other, he felt too broken, too destroyed, like he no longer deserved the love of another living being.

Eventually, of course, it had been Bail's scheming that forced him to confront his fears and have a long overdue conversation with Rex. Telling him about the devastating loss that kept him awake at night, terrified of the nightmares that always came. That conversation had been accompanied by a vast amount of alcohol, getting shitfaced drunk, and spending the night enveloped in strong tender arms.

When Obi-Wan woke up the next morning, he slowly opened his eyes to discover Rex staring down at him, longing etched through every pore of his body. Obi-Wan looked back up at him, probably echoing that some longing as he stared into those deep brown eyes. Suddenly, he didn't know what he had been waiting for, why he had been avoiding this for so long. He reached out to lay a hand on Rex's cheek, letting it rest there for a moment, watching Rex sigh and close his eyes briefly, and then pulling him down into a gentle kiss, never taking his eyes away. It was tentative at first, just a brush of thin lips against his own, and a lingering touch, until he heard a soft whimper, maybe his own. Then Rex was biting his lower lip, and Obi-Wan lost all sense of reality.

Obi-Wan smiled as he thought back on that day. It had been the beginning of something beautiful. The Force had almost sung with the rightness he had felt in that moment. He hadn't known then what his future would hold, but he knew that he needed, wanted this man at his side.

_Always_

The family continued to laugh and joke for the next few minutes. All of them pointing out cute boys and girls of varying species that Esrai should consider in her plight to find the perfect mate. When their shuttle was finally announced, Obi-Wan was more than happy to herd everyone up and finally get on that damn aircraft.

He found himself walking a step or two ahead of the others, once again pushing Karis in her stroller, with Rex pulling up the rear guard. Old habits, even in times of peace, were hard to break. See'ra wasn't even paying attention, looking down at her datapad as she walked, only looking up to make sure she didn't run into anyone. Then it happened, all at once. Obi-Wan felt a tight shift in his chest, a warning? A bad feeling? He immediately moved into a protective position, meaning to shield his family from any incoming assault.

Looking around, Obi-Wan noticed that Riva had stopped walking and was looking between her parents, she had felt it too, he realized. He took note of his surroundings and discovered a group of humans pointing and gawking in their direction. Ah, he thought forlornly, more Corusanti folks looking to brag about seeing the hero.

_Obi..._ FLASH

Obi-Wan didn't hear the rest of Rex's statement. He was filled with shock and confusion from the bright light that left him momentarily blind. It was then that the general sensed the source of his strange feeling, off behind the human group almost hidden by a large Wookie. The lone human was a short distance away, with a large high powered camera in her hand. When she saw Obi-Wan looking, she quickly took another shot, capturing Obi-Wan's bewildered expression, and then ducked around a corner.

“What the Hell?” Riva stammered, as her father reached out to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving Obi-Wan a pointed look that meant they were going to have another conversation about the influences of his foul mouth, though he didn't say anything to correct their daughter.

_"I'm breathing, smart ass"_ , Obi-Wan sent to his beloved, stepping a little closer to his girls, and you love my mouth when it's foul.

“It was just Dad's fan club,” came the smug reply from Riva's older sister. See'ra looked up at Obi-Wan feigning innocence, which only got her a swat and a glare in response. Her wrapped blue tentacles swatting him back when she whipped her head around in laughter.

“But I'm wearing sweatpants!” Riva whined.

“And my hair looks gross,” complained Esrai.

“Well,” Obi-Wan drawled, “at least MY hair always looks amazing.” He stepped forward, rounding the corner and silently prepared to deal with any potential further assault from their 'paparazzi', even managing a half smile when the girl's next shots were taken. It was a real testament to his self control, especially considering his earlier truama.

The photographer continued to follow them down the corridor, snapping what seemed to be hundreds of photos. Obi-Wan did his best to ignore the woman, but with the stress of his recent anxiety, even he was beginning to lose his patience. His fists clenched around the stroller he was pushing and his eyes darkening into an expression of disgust, the anger evident in the captured stills. The last straw was that damned flash again, flaring directly into his retinas. He began to step forward, walking around the stroller, and gesturing rudely with his hand.

“My family and I would appreciate it if you would kindly fuck off,” the former diplomat began, hardly able to keep from palming the lightsaber always tucked away in a special pocket within reach. Obi-Wan was ready for a fight, preparing to walk over and forcibly remove the camera from around the girl's neck.

But before he could take another step, Obi-Wan felt a familiar nudge in his mind, and for the second time that day he heard Rex's comforting words, as he felt a tight grip on his shoulder, holding him back.

_The war IS over love._

Out loud he said, “It's not like anyone even reads those trashy gossip datachips anyway,” making sure to be loud enough for the girl to hear.

Rex was right. Of course he was right. Obi-Wan refrained from taking another step forward, but it didn't stop him from jutting his chin out and shooting the girl a look of utter disdain before grabbing the stroller again and purposefully entered the transport with his shoulders back and head held high.  
Shit, he thought, Rex should be proud of him for holding back as much as he did. His anger was still evident when he saw the woman lining up a few people behind them, but he felt vindicated when he caught her eye and she blushed, looking away in what he hoped was shame.

They boarded the transport without further incident and went in search of their rooms, with Esrai and Riva running ahead. See'ra glanced over at Obi-Wan and then offered to take the stroller so her parents could walk more easily together, worriedly telling them to take their time. Her father merely smiled sheepishly as Rex came up behind them, slipping his hand into Obi-Wan's once more.

See'ra was turning into quite the diplomat, Obi-Wan thought to himself as she walked before them. She had her moments of rebellion, like any other girl her age, but it was evident that the young Twi'lek was maturing, and cared deeply for her adoptive family. War and loss had shaped her just as strongly as it had her Jedi father, and Obi-Wan often found himself worrying about the way she worried over him and Rex. No doubt she feared that any instability with her parents would lead to the dissolution of her second chance at a family- Obi-wan had read something similar in a parenting guide he had picked up in a moment of self-doubt. He would make a pointed effort to reassure his daughter in the future that this was not the case with her parents. Rex and the girls were a permanent part of his life now and not even a second war could tear them apart.

“It's a good thing they've got you and your quiet pragmatism, Rex. Can you imagine if they only had this crazy, old Jedi to teach them?”

“There would be a lot more jumping into things head on, that's for sure.” Rex laughed, “and they would certainly have a better grasp of your colourful vocabulary.”

Rex steered them down a hallway on the left, following distantly behind the girls. He fell silent in order to hear See'ra painting the grand picture of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the great Negotiator to her young sister as she pushed the stroller down the long hall, explaining once again why they were so hounded by onlookers. Even though it seemed his daughter had missed the point of the many talks about the complicated relationship between celebrity and the truth, Obi-Wan just sighed and leaned his head against Rex's shoulder. He would never be proud of his actions during the much hated war, but he couldn't deny the flash of paternal pride he felt, knowing that his daughter could know some of the many stories about him, and still deeply care for him. It was beyond his wildest hopes to feel loved in this way, even if See'ra did tend to stretch the already well stretched details of the stories she was repeating.

“At the very least, they would have a very different version of the role I played in the Clone Wars”.

* * * * *

Seven days later had four girls and two tired men glad to see the backside of the transport. They walked down the long ramp into the hot desert heat, the twin suns high overhead. Obi-Wan lowered his sunglasses, looking around for their guide. Owen Lars was there waiting for them as promised, and there by his side was a skinny blond five year old boy. His father's trademark pout was already clearly evident on his little face. Exasperation and nostalgia hit all at once, and the heat of the twin suns only compounded Obi-Wan's discomfort. This was it he thought, all of the anxiety he had felt over the entire trip would culminate in this moment.

Grabbing Rex's hand, the former general squared his shoulders and guided his family down the rest of the ramp trying not to stumble over his own feet in his nervous anticipation.

“Welcome to Tatooine!” Owen declared, holding out his hand for Rex and the girls to shake, before turning to Obi-Wan and wrapping him in a tentative hug.

Obi-Wan smiled.

“Rex, See'ra, Riva, Esrai, Karis,” he said pointing to each in turn, “I would like to introduce you to Owen Lars, and your cousin, Luke Skywalker.”

Luke looked taken a back for a moment. The mix of human and alien, hair and lekku seemed insurmountable to him. His own boring aunt and uncle appeared nothing like the two war scarred men before him.

“But we're not family!” He blurted out. “We can't be!”

“On the contrary, young one,” Rex murmured before Obi-Wan could open his mouth.

The former Jedi Master turned to his mate, smiling wide.

“ Aliit ori'shya tal'din,” he said in Mando'a looking right at Luke. “Family is much more than your connection by blood.”

“Wow. . .” was all Luke managed to stammer out, looking bewildered before glancing up at his uncle who just smiled down at him. The young boy seemed to shake himself out of it quickly enough, and turned to the girls asking enthusiastically, “Do you wanna see my droids?”

Any hint of lingering tension instantly drained from Obi-Wan's body as three girls trailed after the excited blond who had raced ahead in his excitement. Hoisting Karis into his arms, and linking the other with his spouse once again, Obi-Wan looked over at Owen.

“After you,” he said simply and they followed Owen to the waiting speeder.

This dusty, scorching planet on the edge of the outer rim was vastly different from where Obi-Wan grew up on Coruscant. There were no skyscrapers, no hyperlanes and no constant bright artificial lights to block out the stars. It had no waterfalls, lakes or endlessly beautiful gardens that Obi-Wan had grown to love on Alderran, but this place was special and strong in the Force. The Jedi could feel it as they walked along, and he was eager to begin their new life here. Raising his girls, and training five eager young new Jedi would be a lot of hard work, but with Rex at his side, his family there with him, Obi-Wan knew that he was going to be just fine.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> edit: blue not red. woops. my bad.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Gift](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5843137) by [luverofralts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/luverofralts/pseuds/luverofralts)




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